PETAWAWA – A 17-year-old youth from Petawawa is in Arizona this week, seeking to run the race of his life.

Austin Ingram is a 17 year old visually impaired sprinter from Petawawa who currently holds the Canadian record in the T13 Men’s 200m and is ranked in the top 10 in the world over the same distance.

He flew out on May 20, headed for Mesa, Arizona where he will compete in the Dessert Challenge Games on May 22.

Having proved himself already on the national stage, attracting the attention of Athletics Canada in the process, he intends to continue competing internationally this year – first up is this week’s international meet in Arizona, later in Switzerland at the World Juniors and possibly in Dubai at the Para Worlds.

“With my current times I am in position to bring home some medals for my country and my community,” Ingram said.

His eventual goal is the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 and in Paris in 2024.

Ingram began running when he was in Grade 8, when he also set the Renfrew County elementary school records in both the 100 and 200m dashes.

“In Grade 9 I started to take my track training more seriously,” he said.

It worked. Ingram won first place and set a new 100m visually impaired record at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations’ (OFSAA) provincial championships. In doing so he brought home to Petawawa the first OFSAA gold medal in Valour school’s history.

“Since the summer of 2016 I have been training year round with my coach, Julie Crouzat. This extra training has enabled me to improve my OFSAA 100m record and also to successfully compete alongside the able bodied sprinters at the OFSAA level,” Ingram said.

Currently a student athlete in the High Performance Sports Program at Valour, Ingram competes nationally for the local Les Coureurs des Bois running club and trains with his coach, Julie Crouzat, at Valour and with the running club.

His exceptional skills has him in the Talent Confirmation program of Athletics Canada, meaning he has been identified as an ‘up and comer’ but he does not have money coming in to support him through this part of his training. Athletics Canada can provide some support under special circumstances, but it cannot for the Arizona meet.

“This meet is crucial for Austin because it is the only meet in North America where he can get his International Classification,” said Valour track and field and cross-country coach Rick Schroeder. He explained this classification is vital for Ingram to compete outside of Canada and also for him to move through the Athletics Canada system.

Schroeder said once Ingram has this classification his times will be recognized world-wide and his standings move up. This will allow him to also be selected as a team Canada athlete for international competitions. Once he “officially” moves into the world standings he can get ‘carding’ which will allow him to receive money from Athletics Canada.

In order to get Ingram to Arizona for the meet, in stepped the community in the form of the Petawawa Legion, the Rotary Club of Petawawa and Pembroke Petawawa Lions Club, who all made donations to Les Coureurs des Bois running club who in turn is paying for Ingram’s trip to Arizona. This allows Ingram to keep his amateur status.

Ingram and his coach Julie Crouzat were lucky enough to be on the Caribbean island of Grenada during the coldest week of winter. The pair, were invited by Athletics Canada to participate in a warm weather training camp for elite level sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers.

“Having the opportunity to train in the most ideal environment imaginable, it allowed me not only to train, but to hone in on fine technical details that would have been impossible in our taxing winter training environment. It was also a humbling experience to train alongside, as well as get to know some of Canada’s top athletes on a personal level. This experience, more than anything thus far, has really made my athletic dreams feel real and made me feel like I truly belong,” Ingram said.

Austin and Crouzat worked directly with Carla Nicholls, the head coach of the Paralympic system and they were also able to learn from Glenroy Gilbert , Canada’s Track and Field head coach. The experience not only benefitted Austin but also allows his coach to bring back the lessons learned to all of the athletes and coaches she works with in the community.

The Desert Challenge Games are a multi-day competition for individuals ages six through adulthood with a physical, visual or intellectual disability. The 2019 event, which runs May 22 to 26, is part of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

The Pembroke Petawawa Lions Club recently made a $3,000 donation to the Les Coureurs des Bois running club in order to get 17-year-old visually impaired sprinter Austin Ingram of Petawawa to Arizona for a meet where he can get his International Classificiation. Ingram hopes to run for Canada in the 2020 and 2024 Paralympic Games. In the photo from left, Joe Gauthier, coach Rick Schroeder, Shelley Gauthier, coach Julie Crouzat, Austin Ingram, Robert Leach, Mike Potvin, Dan McGean, Jackie Cotton, Greg Currie, and Gerry Haley.Anthony Dixon /
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The Rotary Club of Petawawa presented $500 to Les Coureurs des Bois running club to help get Austin Ingram, a visually impaired sprinter, to a meet in Arizona this May. In the photo from left, Al Freethy, sprint coach Julie Crouzat, Austin Ingram, director of the running club Rick Schroeder and Valerie Hyska.Submitted photo /
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